Habs News: Montreal Canadiens Week in Review, Claude Julien Coaching Decision, Late Goals, Nick Suzuki at Centre, Shea Weber on a Roll, Carey Price Usage
ROCKET SPORTS MEDIA | LAVAL, QC. — The Canadiens just completed a successful week as they collected five of the possible six points up for grabs. On Tuesday, Jonathan Drouin scored the winning goal in the shootout to give his team a 3-2 win against the Blue Jackets.
On Friday, the Canadiens took a 4-0 lead against the Capitals after two periods and never looked back as they went on to a 5-2 road win against the league’s number one ranked team. Tomas Tatar, who played his 100th game with the team on Saturday, recorded his first career four point game courtesy of his one goal and three assists.
The following night back at home, the Habs lost 4-3 in overtime against the Devils. The third period of that game was one of the most bizarre that I have seen in a long time. In that period alone, there was seven minor and one double-minor penalty called to both teams and a disallowed goal that was scored by Philip Danault by thrusting his hip. It was a game that that the Canadiens should have won and the excuse of them playing back-to-back nights with travel didn’t apply, as it was the same situation for the Devils.
This week, Montreal will once again play on consecutive nights with travel as they head to Columbus on Tuesday night, and then head home to face the Ottawa Senators. On Saturday, the New York Rangers will visit the Bell Centre.
I think that Montreal needs to finish the week with at least five of the possible six points considering that all three opponents are currently out of the playoff picture. It’s points in the standings that they need to collect now before the schedule gets harder.
Off the ice, Canadiens fans can watch Guy Carbonneau Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Monday night in Toronto. Carbonneau played 12 seasons in Montreal and won two Stanley Cups with the organization, before being traded to the St.Louis Blues. He later went on to win a third championship with the Dallas Stars.
Coaching Makes Difference
In last week’s columns, I wrote about decisions that Claude Julien made that influenced the outcome of the games. The pattern continued on Tuesday on the sequence that led to the tying goal scored by Tatar with 41 seconds remaining in the third period.
Following an icing call against the Blue Jackets, Julien picked up the fact that the opposition had tired players on the ice and didn’t call a timeout. John Tortorella was trying to call a timeout to rest his players, however it was refused by the officials with reason as a timeout can’t be called by a team that iced the puck. Tortorella either forgot the rule that was put in place or was intentionally trying to stall the puck drop to give his players a few more seconds of rest.
Late Goals
“That’s the next thing I got to fix,” said Julien following the October 26th against the Maple Leafs when asked about the late period goals allowed by his team. In the game against the Devils, Montreal allowed a goal with 19 seconds remaining in the first and two seconds left in the second period. This brought the total to 15 goals allowed this season in the last two minutes of a period.
“It’s unacceptable. It cost us the game tonight,” said Julien on Saturday. “This is on us.” Tatar, Danault, and Brendan Gallagher were on the ice for both late goals scored by New Jersey.
Suzuki at Centre
Every week, I remind everyone that the members of the Canadiens organization read the Habs Notepad. Prior to the start of training camp, I projected the Canadiens opening night lineups in my column, which Nick Suzuki wasn’t even mentioned because I was convinced that he wasn’t starting the season in the NHL.
Suzuki used my column as his motivation to prove me wrong, and I have to concede that he’s done a great job in doing so up to his point. I’m expecting a thank you message on Twitter (@ChrisHabs360) or by email at chrisg@allhabs.net from all Canadiens fans.
He has scored five goals and added four assists through 20 games, which puts his on pace to score a very respectable 20 goals.
Several analysts had identified Suzuki’s vision when he was playing in the CHL, and there are countless examples of plays this season where Suzuki has shown it. In the tying goal against Columbus, while I gave credit to the coach earlier in this column about not calling a timeout, Suzuki deserves the credit for his patience on the play and setting up Tatar.
#Habs Tatar Goal vs #BlueJackets @AllHabs @RocketSports #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/QhPenYzVYC
— Chris G (@ChrisHabs360) November 13, 2019
With Jesperi Kotkaniemi returning from injury, Paul Byron out day-to-day and Drouin placed on the injury reserve list, it placed Julien in a situation where there was an abundance of centres on the roster and two left wingers short. He made the decision to play Suzuki down the middle and move Domi to the wing, the position where he’s played the most during his career.
Suzuki is still a work in progress, and still has lots to learn. The late period goal against in the final moments of the second period on Saturday was started by an inaccurate pass by the rookie that led to a 2-on-1 counter attack. He also has improvement to do in the faceoff circle as his success rate is currently at 44.2 percent.
Weber on a roll
In the honour of the Canadiens facing P.K. Subban, it’s time to bring up Shea Weber. It’s a tradition, one that I don’t expect to go away until they both retire, and I’m not even sure that will stop the comparisons.
It feels like I’m watching Weber play his best hockey right now since joining Montreal. He’s been a force defensively, and doesn’t look slow as many of us expected him to be. In the offensive side of the game, Weber is currently on a six game point streak and in a sequence where he’s gotten at least one point in 11 of the last 14 games.
His shot looks pretty good too.
Price Usage
One of the topics that Marc Bergevin addressed when he met the media was Carey Price‘s usage. With the victory against the Capitals, Price became the first goalie to record 10 wins this season. It was the third time in his career that he has accomplished this.
The General Manager said that Price is currently on pace to play 66 games this season, a number that they will work on reducing. Bergevin also mentioned that Keith Kinkaid needs to play better.
In four starts, Kinkaid has 1-1-2 record with a 4.23 goals against average and .887 save percentage. These are the type of numbers that forced the coaching staff last season to heavily play Price in the final stretch.
On the reverse side, the Canadiens have faced the opposition’s back up goalie in nine of the 20 games. The positive note is that they have taken advantage and have won seven of those matchups.
By Chris G., Senior Writer
All Habs Hockey Magazine
Copyright © 2019 Rocket Sports
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